Professional Bike Mechanic Q&A & Plans for YouTube 2025

[@mattgemmell8345]

Great video and some great questions. Tour de France sounds great and look forward to seeing your reports. Re the Q about folk being funny about Brommies, I actually find I get the opposite effect and people come up to chat and ask about it. Mine has a red Rohloff hub which is quite striking and the whole thing is very positive. I've even had chats with roadies who can't believe I'm doing things on a Brommie. One pair on the Hebridean Way last year had lovely chats with me and we leapfrogged each other all the way. They laughed and said it was the tortoise and the hares. I got to the end first when they stopped for coffee and they very graciously laughed as they met me and said the tortoise won. We took each others photos too. That leads me to echo your comments about the Hebrides and they are awesome. The Hebridean Way is fantastic and who doesn't love boat trips as part of an adventure. My tip would be to wild camp. I decided on the Saturday and started on the Monday. Everyone I met had planned and booked for six months or more. You would need to if you needed accommodation. I was fine and breezed it. Finally, the bike industry. One problem is that once you have your stable it is difficult to justify more bikes. We all laugh about N+1 but I have a fantastic upgraded Brommie, a MTB and a road bike as well as an indoor trainer. I don't need any more and if I look after them and avoid theft or accident they should see me out. The industry maybe needs to sell bikes to people who don't have one but are they going to spend serious money on quality or look for bargains/discounts ? Very difficult. Keep up the good work 👍

[@tristamnewey7118]

Every time I ride my Brompton I am amazed at how well it rides and handles, even how quick it is. Once you start using it for serious touring any negative comments bounce off like water from a duck's back, 'cause you know just how capable it is. I'm taking mine to the Faroes this year which (for me at least) would be some challenging riding on any bike.

[@veloworks9266]

@@tristamnewey7118 oh wow that’ll be rather hilly and challenging I imagine! What an adventure 😮

[@tristamnewey7118]

@veloworks9266 650m to 800m climbing each day. Good job I have a 44t chainring. Still, I must be mad. My biggest concern though is rain and wind, but of course with a Brompton, you can just jump on a bus!

[@BillEvans007]

The year I rode LEJOG (2019), there was a Brompton in the group.

[@BillEvans007]

Can recommend touring on Western Isles. I need to go back!

[@lawcheung8766]

Thank you for your detail answers and sharing your insights in this video. I second the elder Brommie rider's opinion on the NHS money being better spent prescribing a bicycle, or bike hire maybe, instead of pills to cure sedantary induced illness. Just moving and improving their physical and mental health on a bicycle is priceless. A lady I know because we share the same hobbies and frequent the same events had her pride and joy racing bike stolen. I recommended hiring a Brompton as her commuter bike as I am sure she can afford a new racer too. The Brommie can be folded and taken indoors so less vulnerable. I was sadden with her reply: "I just can't."

[@johnbayley1109]

As ever: brilliant video. As a Brompton rider, I was particularly interested in the question regarding being laughed at for riding Brompton. I live in Weymouth and there are so few down here and I do get the incredulous looks and comments too. But I absolutely love my Brompton and dismiss the comments with the thought, “Well that’s your s**t.” BTW lots more Brompton videos in 2025 from Velo Works please!

[@veloworks9266]

@@johnbayley1109 thanks for the nice comment and yep, if they don’t understand the Brompton it’s their loss 😂

[@grahamricketts-bq1ft]

Would fully agree with your comments on touring in Scotland. We did the NC500 late summer last year and it was wonderful, we didn't come down the east coast, were warned against it, so dropped down south through the central Highlands, was magnificent. Am sorely tempted to now try the western Isles.

[@veloworks9266]

@@grahamricketts-bq1ft hi, thanks for watching and that sounds amazing! I would highly recommend the outer hebs but apply flexibility to your trip if the weather is bad 👍

[@MichaelWilde.pushbikegraddad]

Thanks again for another great video, you mention a Brompton club, which Brompton club is that may I ask. I love riding my Brompton, a lot of people are interested in it, always a pleasure to ride, at the age of sixty I can still co the miles, years of only having bicycles as my main transport. I am more than happy to pootle around on small wheeled bikes.

[@rundt7605]

Your Brompton comment proves the snobbery in cycling,I love my 2002 brommie,

[@davidharris4062]

Same in South Wales, especially the valleys,get laughed at when riding my Brompton or Birdy, ‘Why are you riding a kids bike’ I have stopped and told some people to google it and would they pay this for a child’s bike

[@veloworks9266]

@@davidharris4062 love that response 😂

[@Andy_ATB]

The cycling industry/media don't help with the obsession on the performance side.......Not everyone wants or is interested in racing/performance, and doesn't want the latest £10k bike....... Look at the well known cycling channels; very little on commuting, touring, ordinary cycling, etc It's aero, weight, improve your FTP, etc